Before: Kitchen

Before: Kitchen

After: Kitchen

After: Kitchen

Get stainless steel without going broke. A number of affordable appliance manufacturers now offer models almost identical to their high-end counterparts.(Dishwasher, $549.99; sears.com for stores)

Unify everything with white paint. To ensure that the new bottom cabinets matched the old upper units, the homeowner painted both with Benjamin Moore's Linen White—a move that lightened up the whole kitchen. ($37.99 per gallon; myperfectcolor.com)

Make the natural choice. The homeowner ditched the laminate counter-tops in favor of Ikea's affordable oak option—which cost just $800 total and can be sanded down when cooking blunders occur. (From $169 for 96 7/8"L; ikea.com)